Upland, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Massage Establishments (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit authority
- Chief of Police
- Permit term
- 12 months
- Operating hours
- 7:00 am to 10:00 pm only
- Technician credential
- CAMTC state license required
- Records retention
- 2 years, treatment log
- Max criminal penalty
- $1,000 fine, 6 months jail
Summary
Operating a massage establishment in Upland without a permit from the police chief is a misdemeanor under Municipal Code § 5.60.020. Permits run 12 months and require fingerprints and a background check. Every massage technician must hold a California Massage Therapy Council state license, and business hours are capped at 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
It is unlawful and a misdemeanor, subject to prosecution and punishment, for any person to engage in, conduct or carry on, in or upon any premises, a massage establishment within the city without first obtaining a massage establishment permit pursuant to this article. A separate permit shall be obtained for each separate massage establishment operated by such person. A permit under this article shall be valid for 12 months from the date of issuance unless revoked or suspended. The permit required shall be in addition to any business license required by city ordinance or any other permit required for such use including, but not limited to, any conditional use permit or other similar entitlement for use.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4480959; v4 updated 2025-09-22).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 5.60 requires anyone conducting massage business in the city to first obtain a massage establishment permit from the chief of police; a separate permit is needed for each location and the permit is valid 12 months (§ 5.60.020). Applicants file under penalty of perjury and must submit fingerprints, two passport photos, five years of employment history, and disclosure of any prior license revocations and specified criminal convictions (§ 5.60.040). Since January 1, 2011, every person providing massage services must hold a California Massage Therapy Council license as a 'massage therapist' or 'massage practitioner' under Business and Professions Code §§ 4600-4620; the city no longer issues its own technician permits (§ 5.60.130).
Operating requirements limit hours to 7:00 a.m. through 10:00 p.m., require a posted price list, mandate a two-year written record of every treatment (date, patron name, technician, service type), and require separate facilities for male and female patrons treated simultaneously (§ 5.60.050). Facility standards set minimum lighting of at least one 60-watt fixture per treatment room, two tubs or showers, and closed cabinets for clean linens (§ 5.60.060). The police chief, community development director, and San Bernardino County health department may make unscheduled inspections (§ 5.60.070). Permits are not transferable and terminate automatically on any unapproved sale, transfer, or stock assignment (§ 5.60.080).
Violations & Fines
Violating any provision of Chapter 5.60, including operating without a valid permit, is a misdemeanor under § 5.60.250 punishable by a fine up to $1,000, imprisonment up to six months, or both, with each day of continued violation charged as a separate offense. Unauthorized disclosure of patron treatment records is likewise a misdemeanor. The city may also pursue civil abatement and injunctive relief against any establishment operated in violation of the chapter as a declared public nuisance under § 5.60.260.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a city permit to open a massage establishment in Upland?
What hours can a massage establishment operate?
Do individual massage therapists still get a city technician permit?
What happens if a massage establishment operates without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Upland
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